Lightning Lane at Walt Disney World

[Splash4eva]

A cars ride and overlays to dinoland and rockinroller coaster isn’t gonna line em up…

We tend to act like that’s reasonable because we go to much and
We are BORED…but it’s not based in truth.

Dinoland has a shot… RnR is useless agreed… Cara ride seems odd but we shall see. I think Villains land will be intriguing for the masses tho if done right.
Time will tell but i see your point

 

[LittleBuford]

And lets face it. It is NOT a vacation by any means. Never was and definitely not close to being one now either.

What do you mean? How do you define “vacation”?

 

[Purduevian]

LL needs to make a certain amount of $$. If LL price increase decreases purchases to where $$ target is not met, thruput of standby must be throttled by decreasing available ride seats/hr.

That's not really how the queue management works though unless you give more value to the LL... unless you change the overall capacity of the ride (which is possible on some rides).

Lets take a ride like HM for example and assume it can process 3000 people an hour. Also lets assume the current ratio is 1LL guest to every 3 standby guests (25%). If you want to try to extend the standby line by changing the ratio, to something like 1LL to 1 standby guest (50%), you have to release 50% more LLMP slots than you currently do. That would suddenly make HM a lower priority LL as it would be easier to get. Thus some of that HM LL capacity will most likely go unfilled because people will prioritize other ride LLMP for it.

We know that…the defense of submitting is the main act…

My recent favorites:
1. “My time is more valuable than that…in this here amusement park”
2. “I have kids and I will NOT tolerate lines under any circumstances”

In a way…it kinda makes me feel good…Gen X isn’t nearly as lazy and screwed up as we assumed it would be in comparison years ago

Hey that's me! I'll defend both of them.

1. My last Disney Trip I spent $460 per person for a 3 day non-park hopper ticket. With a young kid, I can get about 9 hours in the park per day. So I'm paying about $17 an hour per person to enjoy the park. I view any time spent in line as a "waste of time" still burning the $17 per hour, but not being entertained by the mouse. So if a LLMP saves me from "wasting time" while I'm burning through the $17 per hour.. I think it's worth it.

This doesn't even factor the overpriced hotels/food I pay a premium for to spend time in the park or the flights I paid for with the main reason to be on rides/watch shows. Its hard to put an exact figure out it, but its probably closer to $20-$25 an hour I am spending to be in the park.

Regarding 2. I think there were "better rides vs wait times" back 20-30 years ago, especially for rides that a 3 year old would be interested in. I don't think many people were waiting in multiple 30+ min lines with a 3 year old in the 90s... but I could be wrong.
Winnie the pooh averaged 35, Peter Pan 55, Na'vi 53 mins in 2025. Sure I could spend all day riding dumbo, tea cups, nemo, figment, ect. but I would rather spend a little extra money to get on someone of the bigger ticket rides.

You don't have to agree with me on either point... I'm going to keep buying LLMP because I personally find it worth it and the 2 of the reasons why. I don't think I am a sucker or brainwashed, I just think my travel style and situation is different from yours. I also recognize for many people LLMP would NOT be worth it at all.

 

[Splash4eva]

What do you mean? How do you define “vacation”?

One where i dont need another one the minute i get back hahahah…

 

[LittleBuford]

One where i dont need another one the minute i get back hahahah…

It’s not a restful experience for me either, but that’s true of certain other kinds of vacation too, and it still feels like a welcome escape from daily life.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Hey that's me! I'll defend both of them.

1. My last Disney Trip I spent $460 per person for a 3 day non-park hopper ticket. With a young kid, I can get about 9 hours in the park per day. So I'm paying about $17 an hour per person to enjoy the park. I view any time spent in line as a "waste of time" still burning the $17 per hour, but not being entertained by the mouse. So if a LLMP saves me from "wasting time" while I'm burning through the $17 per hour.. I think it's worth it.

This doesn't even factor the overpriced hotels/food I pay a premium for to spend time in the park or the flights I paid for with the main reason to be on rides/watch shows. Its hard to put an exact figure out it, but its probably closer to $20-$25 an hour I am spending to be in the park.

Regarding 2. I think there were "better rides vs wait times" back 20-30 years ago, especially for rides that a 3 year old would be interested in. I don't think many people were waiting in multiple 30+ min lines with a 3 year old in the 90s... but I could be wrong.
Winnie the pooh averaged 35, Peter Pan 55, Na'vi 53 mins in 2025. Sure I could spend all day riding dumbo, tea cups, nemo, figment, ect. but I would rather spend a little extra money to get on someone of the bigger ticket rides.

You don't have to agree with me on either point... I'm going to keep buying LLMP because I personally find it worth it and the 2 of the reasons why. I don't think I am a sucker or brainwashed, I just think my travel style and situation is different from yours. I also recognize for many people LLMP would NOT be worth it at all.

Another good one…so buying line skip fees on top of your ticket that basically just is for making the Mickey spin…you are “Stunting the blow” of how you’re overcharged for every other part of your travel….

?

…??

Mmmmkay


And as to the kid thing…I’m sorry…I’m just not gonna go with “no lines for kids” as the play…it’s most likely not catering to the kids

I’ll play the villain here…I do it well

 

[Nubs70]

That's not really how the queue management works though unless you give more value to the LL... unless you change the overall capacity of the ride (which is possible on some rides).

Lets take a ride like HM for example and assume it can process 3000 people an hour. Also lets assume the current ratio is 1LL guest to every 3 standby guests (25%). If you want to try to extend the standby line by changing the ratio, to something like 1LL to 1 standby guest (50%), you have to release 50% more LLMP slots than you currently do. That would suddenly make HM a lower priority LL as it would be easier to get. Thus some of that HM LL capacity will most likely go unfilled because people will prioritize other ride LLMP for it.

HM ride design does not allow throttling unless you slow down the entire ride.

Jungle Cruise, Small World, Space Montain, and Pirates are of rides that throttle very easily by removing ride vehicles or eliminating a loading zone.

 

[Splash4eva]

It’s not a restful experience for me either, but that’s true of certain other kinds of vacation too, and it still feels like a welcome escape from daily life.

Im agree its an “escape” all i was saying was its not a relaxing trip and even less relaxing for the one (myself) who has to book and adjust rides meals and everything in between. Add in the 30k+ steps a day in that heat and not much sleep i think you get the point i was trying to make….

 

[Disstevefan1]

Im agree its an “escape” all i was saying was its not a relaxing trip and even less relaxing for the one (myself) who has to book and adjust rides meals and everything in between. Add in the 30k+ steps a day in that heat and not much sleep i think you get the point i was trying to make….

If a WDW trip is relaxing, you are doing it wrong.

 

[Chi84]

Im agree its an “escape” all i was saying was its not a relaxing trip and even less relaxing for the one (myself) who has to book and adjust rides meals and everything in between. Add in the 30k+ steps a day in that heat and not much sleep i think you get the point i was trying to make….

You’re basically going to WDW because that’s what others want to do and you end up doing all the work? I can see why that would hurt.

 

[capndave]

For even more convenience and flexibility, there are two other options for enjoying our theme parks, through a queue we are introducing called the Lightning Lane entrance that also saves you time in line:

• Disney Genie+ service (available for purchase): For the price of $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World Resort and $20 per ticket per day at Disneyland Resort, choose the next available time to arrive at a variety of attractions and experiences using the Lightning Lane entrance. You can make one selection at a time, throughout the day – from classics like Haunted Mansion to thrill rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and newer favorites like Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (attractions subject to limited availability). This convenient option is the next evolution of the fan-favorite Disney MaxPass service from Disneyland Resort. Disney Genie+ will also include Disney parks-themed audio experiences and photo features to capture your memories – augmented reality lenses for those visiting Walt Disney World Resort and unlimited Disney PhotoPass downloads from your day if you are visiting Disneyland Resort.
• Individual attraction selections (available for purchase): Schedule a time to arrive at up to two highly demanded attractions each day using the Lightning Lane entrance – like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom Park and Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure park (subject to limited availability; attractions not included with Disney Genie+). Pricing for this option will vary by date, attraction and park and will be announced closer to launch.

Will never return to Disney parks. Im not paying for what is essentially a fast Pass without access to all attractions. Disney management has lost their collective minds!!

 

[Splash4eva]

You’re basically going to WDW because that’s what others want to do and you end up doing all the work? I can see why that would hurt.

I enjoyed going dont get me wrong. Ive never said otherwise. Others being my daughter and mom so i wouldnt change it for the world. Im just saying a Disney vacation is different then the rest and is far from relaxing. I think we can agree on that

 

[Splash4eva]

If a WDW trip is relaxing, you are doing it wrong.

This is extremely accurate!!! Part of the fun i guess hahaha

 

[Purduevian]

Another good one…so buying paying fees on top of your ticket that basically just is for making the Mickey soon…you are “Stunting the blow” of how you’re overcharged for every other part of your travel….

?

…??

Mmmmkay


And as to the kid thing…I’m sorry…I’m just not gonna go with “no lines for kids” as the play…it’s most likely not catering to the kids

I’ll play the villain here…I do it well

I think we will just disagree with the kid thing. No worry about that.

Regarding the money... let me try to phrase it a different way.

Assuming ticket price, hotel upcharge, food upcharge, flights, ect. I am spending ~$20 per person per hour to be in the theme parks. I am ok with this number, I love Disney and am willing to pay $20 per hour on average, but not all time in the park is created equal. I would not spend $20 to wait in the buzz lightyear outdoor queue in 90 degree weather or walk through disney stores, or any number of other things I spend timing doing at disney world.

I would spend more than $20 per hour to ride attractions, watch shows, watch streetmosphere, enjoying the ambiance ect.

These 2 things balance out to the point where I find more than $20 worth of value on average in an hour at a disney park.

Now if we add LLMP into the mix, the money spent jumps to $23 per person per hour in the park... but I spend more time doing the more valuable things and less time waiting in lines.

But to me personally $23 per hour with LLMP provides more value in my day than $20 per hour without LLMP.

Either way your a spending a ton of money, but the extra 15% cost allows me to raise my average value by more than 15%.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I enjoyed going dont get me wrong. Ive never said otherwise. Others being my daughter and mom so i wouldnt change it for the world. Im just saying a Disney vacation is different then the rest and is far from relaxing. I think we can agree on that

But what if you can prebook a paid ride on Tron in advance in the middle of the night from your toilet In the Midwest?

That’s so relaxing it’s basically living the dream

 

[Horizons '83]

But what if you can prebook a paid ride on Tron in advance in the middle of the night from your toilet In the Midwest?

That’s so relaxing it’s basically living the dream

2 birds?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I think we will just disagree with the kid thing. No worry about that.

Regarding the money... let me try to phrase it a different way.

Assuming ticket price, hotel upcharge, food upcharge, flights, ect. I am spending ~$20 per person per hour to be in the theme parks. I am ok with this number, I love Disney and am willing to pay $20 per hour on average, but not all time in the park is created equal. I would not spend $20 to wait in the buzz lightyear outdoor queue in 90 degree weather or walk through disney stores, or any number of other things I spend timing doing at disney world.

I would spend more than $20 per hour to ride attractions, watch shows, watch streetmosphere, enjoying the ambiance ect.

These 2 things balance out to the point where I find more than $20 worth of value on average in an hour at a disney park.

Now if we add LLMP into the mix, the money spent jumps to $23 per person per hour in the park... but I spend more time doing the more valuable things and less time waiting in lines.

But to me personally $23 per hour with LLMP provides more value in my day than $20 per hour without LLMP.

Either way your a spending a ton of money, but the extra 15% cost allows me to raise my average value by more than 15%.

Yeah…I’ll be on this hill…

The view is quite nice and I just had 10” armor plating installed last week

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

WDW certainly used to be a more relaxing vacation.

The parks were open later. You could have take mid-afternoon nap or pool break and then hit Magic Kingdom until midnight or even later, and not feel like you just wasted half your day.

Crowds were lower. Less waiting in line means more time for relaxed shopping or dining without wondering when you'd schedule your two-hour queue for a 60-second coaster ride.

It was also cheaper. I did 8-day visits that allowed for a more relaxed pace, but when I price that out now it's definitely more of a sticker shock.

There was also late night entertainment in the form of Pleasure Island. It was something for people to do if the parks did close early. Now, Disney Springs feels like something people do only because it's the sole option. It's not the same.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

WDW certainly used to be a more relaxing vacation.

The parks were open later. You could have take mid-afternoon nap or pool break and then hit Magic Kingdom until midnight or even later, and not feel like you just wasted half your day.

Crowds were lower. Less waiting in line means more time for relaxed shopping or dining without wondering when you'd schedule your two-hour queue for a 60-second coaster ride.

It was also cheaper. I did 8-day visits that allowed for a more relaxed pace, but when I price that out now it's definitely more of a sticker shock.

There was also late night entertainment in the form of Pleasure Island. It was something for people to do if the parks did close early. Now, Disney Springs feels like something people do only because it's the sole option. It's not the same.

This a good one to be bookmarked for @BrianLo

 

[BrianLo]

This a good one to be bookmarked for @BrianLo

I actually just responded to you that I was not referencing soft product.

I have no disagreement, price and soft product have been in decline for 30 years.